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I read an interesting article by Roy Jones jr :
ROY JONES JNR has issued a stinging rebuke to Floyd Mayweather for not taking a fight with Manny Pacquiao. The American legend in fact used to favour Mayweather as the superior of the two. But he appears to have altered his opinion.
While coaching a masterclass at London’s Real Fight Club, Jones also took the time to answer general questions. His take on the Mayweather-Pacquiao saga was revealing. “Off the top I like Mayweather. Now that has changed,” he confessed.
He explained his reasoning, albeit in a round-about way. He picked out two students from the class and stood them in front of him to form the points of a triangle. He pointed at one then the other, saying, “His name is David Haye, his name is Vitali Klitschko.” Gesturing at himself, he declared with a smile, “My name is Roy Jones.”
His thought experiment continued: “They call me and tell me, like they did the other day, at Wembley you and David Haye will sell it out. David Haye is in his prime right now and let’s say I’m back in my prime. Let’s say I’ve just won a world title in the same weight class. They decide to have a battle to decide who’s best between he and I.
“It’s going to be the biggest fight in this country, we’re just saying, this is going to be the biggest pay-per-view event ever in the history of the sport. And we’re going to find out who’s the best fighter, right? Okay, he says, ‘I’m all in.’”
At this point it begins to become clear that the fictitious Haye in this parable represents Manny Pacquiao. “I’m going to make him wait for now,” Roy explained. “I’m the boss, I’m the best, I’m going to wait. So he tells me, ‘I’m going to go fight Vitali Klitschko.’ What do you think I’m going to do?”
Jones held up his hands, answering himself, “That’s not going to happen.” He swung his finger from one man to the other, insisting, “I’m not going to let him [Klitschko] steal my glory whipping his [Haye’s] behind when he thinks he’s as good as me. If I think I can beat him, I don’t want to take that chance.”
While this example may be a worrying indicator of the heavyweight company Jones still pictures himself keeping, he made his point clear: “So why does Floyd Mayweather let Manny Pacquiao go take that chance with [Antonio] Margarito? If [Pacquiao] loses, whether through a fault, whether it’s a headbutt, that ruins this big fight. So if you really thought you could beat him, would you allow him to do this?”
His message to Floyd continued: “You talked yourself into this too. You’re claiming to be the best fighter pound-for-pound. Now that the man agreed to take a blood test, you’re still messing around. So do you really think you can win?”
Roy delivered his verdict on the matter. “I’m starting to think he don’t. Because if he did he wouldn’t let this [Margarito fight] happen. I was thinking Mayweather was the better fighter to begin with and I still think he’s the better fighter,” Roy revealed. “But I don’t think that he believes he can win. If he does think he can, he doesn’t think it’s easy.”
Jones pointed once again at the two men standing dutifully in front of him as depictions of Haye and Klitschko. “Truthfully if I let him fight him, I’m hoping I don’t have to fight. That’s what Floyd’s thinking. He’s hoping [Pacquio’s] upset so he never has to fight.”
ROY JONES JNR has issued a stinging rebuke to Floyd Mayweather for not taking a fight with Manny Pacquiao. The American legend in fact used to favour Mayweather as the superior of the two. But he appears to have altered his opinion.
While coaching a masterclass at London’s Real Fight Club, Jones also took the time to answer general questions. His take on the Mayweather-Pacquiao saga was revealing. “Off the top I like Mayweather. Now that has changed,” he confessed.
He explained his reasoning, albeit in a round-about way. He picked out two students from the class and stood them in front of him to form the points of a triangle. He pointed at one then the other, saying, “His name is David Haye, his name is Vitali Klitschko.” Gesturing at himself, he declared with a smile, “My name is Roy Jones.”
His thought experiment continued: “They call me and tell me, like they did the other day, at Wembley you and David Haye will sell it out. David Haye is in his prime right now and let’s say I’m back in my prime. Let’s say I’ve just won a world title in the same weight class. They decide to have a battle to decide who’s best between he and I.
“It’s going to be the biggest fight in this country, we’re just saying, this is going to be the biggest pay-per-view event ever in the history of the sport. And we’re going to find out who’s the best fighter, right? Okay, he says, ‘I’m all in.’”
At this point it begins to become clear that the fictitious Haye in this parable represents Manny Pacquiao. “I’m going to make him wait for now,” Roy explained. “I’m the boss, I’m the best, I’m going to wait. So he tells me, ‘I’m going to go fight Vitali Klitschko.’ What do you think I’m going to do?”
Jones held up his hands, answering himself, “That’s not going to happen.” He swung his finger from one man to the other, insisting, “I’m not going to let him [Klitschko] steal my glory whipping his [Haye’s] behind when he thinks he’s as good as me. If I think I can beat him, I don’t want to take that chance.”
While this example may be a worrying indicator of the heavyweight company Jones still pictures himself keeping, he made his point clear: “So why does Floyd Mayweather let Manny Pacquiao go take that chance with [Antonio] Margarito? If [Pacquiao] loses, whether through a fault, whether it’s a headbutt, that ruins this big fight. So if you really thought you could beat him, would you allow him to do this?”
His message to Floyd continued: “You talked yourself into this too. You’re claiming to be the best fighter pound-for-pound. Now that the man agreed to take a blood test, you’re still messing around. So do you really think you can win?”
Roy delivered his verdict on the matter. “I’m starting to think he don’t. Because if he did he wouldn’t let this [Margarito fight] happen. I was thinking Mayweather was the better fighter to begin with and I still think he’s the better fighter,” Roy revealed. “But I don’t think that he believes he can win. If he does think he can, he doesn’t think it’s easy.”
Jones pointed once again at the two men standing dutifully in front of him as depictions of Haye and Klitschko. “Truthfully if I let him fight him, I’m hoping I don’t have to fight. That’s what Floyd’s thinking. He’s hoping [Pacquio’s] upset so he never has to fight.”
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